The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-01-08

partment IN sunday Readings. and Missions
Ihese nsts include every book and ey-
cry article required for 1867 Certainly
the topics are not uninviting. and many
readers are most agreebiy surprised al the
ease and success with which thew read
through the course during the year. Measur-
ed In time the years course requires about one
hundred and eighty hours Of reading. Every
person with aspirations for self culture can
find one hundred and eighty hours for good
reading out Of three hundred and sixty I've
days. One of the brightest and most
suggestive articles In the Chautauquan last
year was one on obstacles TO legislation by
Hon. t. b. Reed, and the Maine Representa-
tive has partially yielded 10 the earnest sOlc.
tatiOn of DIR. Vincent to prepare two more
articles for the Chautauquans for the coming
year.
CONDITIONS OF JOINING.
The only condition Of joining the Q. l.. s.
G. is that one shall send on his or her name
with fifty cents to the secretary, Miss K f.
Kimball. Plainfeld, N. j. No tests Of previ-
GUS scholarship and no pledges to complete
the course are required. The fifty cents a
year covers the cost of printing the examina-
ti0n pages and. .lOOking over them, the cost Of
Our dina Mailer, brief messenger Of en-
cOuragement and direction sent out to men,
bers by DIR. Vincent, the cost Of correspond
enee and diploma. The books and maga-
zines together cost about 81 year, but these
are permanent additions 10 ones library.
We have just spoken of examination papers
No examination Is absolutely essential to
graduation, the one condition Of graduation
Is reading the course. III one fuldls this
requisite he receive the diploma mailed 10
him at his home or delivered 10 him at any
summer assembly which he may designate.
DIR. Vincent has been aware Of the danger
Of
SUPERFICIAL STUDY
md ,ata Ill A.. a.
college course where possible. Very much to
the surprise and qualification Of college men
the c. l.. S. G. has proved the greatest ad-
yertisement Of American colleges ever set
forth. Tens Of thousands have put before
them for the first time a clear state
ment in English Of all that a col
lege course means. and literally hum
dreds have gone themselves or sent their
children to college through the Chautauqua
movement, while there are thousands more
70 follow. The attitude Of college men In
Maine toward the Chautauqua movement
may be seen frOm the fact that President
Hyde OF BOwdOin, President Pepper Of Col
by, and President Smith Of Kent's Hill. and
President Brainerd Of Middlebury College,
VT, are upon the Board Of Counsel OF
Northern New England and Maine Chautau-
qua Union at Fryeburg, while every college
In the state either Is already represented or
will speedily be represented in the instruc-
tiOn given at Fryeburg. But while the con
ditions Of enrolment and graduation are SO
simple, Chautauqua offers higher work for
all who are ready for it, IL the graduate, In
addition to reading the course, will ill out
certain memoranda Of his reading each year,
answering eighty per cent Of the questions
asked, he receives a seal upon his diploma
signifying that he has completed the course
with merit. III, during his course OF reading
he has been attracted to art, literature, his
tory, science, or theology, he will find special
courses of postgraduate reading marked out
on the completion Of which ne Is honored
by q special seal upon his diploma. There
are thus
THRTY-rwo SEAL CARDS
connected with the G. l.. S. c., each one hon.
ored by special seal. After a lengthy expe-
rience in colleges and professional schools,
we have no hesitancy in saying that Chau-
tauqua diploma with the thirty-two seals at
tached indicates longer study and broader
culture than an ordinary college diploma.
1t is not expected, however: that any one
win care to take the thirty-two seal cards,
any more than it is expected that a student
will take all the elective courses In q college,
In fact the seal cards In reading correspond
to the elective courses Of study at the col
leges, and aim simply to give the student an
insight into the new and splendid OppOrtuni-
ties which colleges are now offering in their
special courses.
II student wishes to make a more thor
ough study in any one department, and can
not go to college, he may gain great help from
THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND
THE cHAUrAUQUA SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY.
These provides not simply for reading, but
for a systematic course Of study under faith
full teachers by correspondence This work
is tested by final examinations Of a rigid
character and rewarded by certificates, dlplo-
mas and the usual scholastic degrees. The
Chautauqua University is chartered by the
Legislature Of New York, with DIR. Vincent
as Chancellor, and with such men In its
faculty as Professor Hayes Of Yale, Pro-
fessor Townsend Of Boston University,
Philip Sehatf Of the Union Theological
School, etc. The Chautauqua movement may
thus far be summed up under three heads
l. The Chautauqua Assembly and other
summer assemblies, OF which there are now
between thirty and forty In the United
States.
2. The G. L.. S. G. or work done away from
Chautauqua In voluntary reading.
3. The Chautauqua College OF Liberal Arts
or study carried on at home under the direc-
ti0n Of competent professors by correspond
eHce.
THE NUMBER ENROLLED
has been a constant marvel to every one.
When DIR. Vincent outlined his course before
college professors, each one regarded the
conception with great favor, but all were OF
the opinion that the Doctor could not get any
large number Of people, even In America, TO
pursue so lofty a course. Dr. Vincent's en-
thusiasm seemed boundless, and he once re-
marked in confidence TO a close friend: "YOu
VIII I'VE 70 see two thousand persons read
ing this eourse-more than are found at the
largest university In America after a history
of over two hundred years" What has
been DIR. Vlncent's surprise to find the
people OF America ripe for the move
mcnt and to see
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND STUDENTS
enrolled in the @. l.. S. G. in 1861 Every
State In the Union is represented IN the
movement. Aside from the great National
Summer Assembly at Chautauqua itself,
there are enough Chautauquans In the
middle West to hold brilliant assemblies in
Wisconsin, Iowa and Kansas, and enough in
the far Northwest to hold an assembly in the
Yellowstone National Park. This, by the
way, Is the only assembly in the United
States which surpasses In natural scenery the
Maine Assembly at Fryeburg-the gateway
of the White Mountains. There are enough
Chautauquans In the Southwest to hold
h0urishing assemblies In Southern Califor-
MIA and In Texas; a sufficient number in
the Southeast TO hold a winter assembly In
Florida; while the East Is coming rapidly to
the front with the New England and North
ern New England assemblies. But the Chau-
tauquan idea Is not confined 10 the United
States. 1t Is rapidly becoming world wide,
There are hourishing circles in Canada, In
the Sandwich Island, in South America, In
India and China. There are over 1000 read
ers in Japan. There were sufficient number
Of Chautauquans in South Africa TO hold a
successful assembly last summer. There are
readers In England, Ireland, Scotland and
France. DIR. Vincent Is spending the fall
and winter In Europe, and doubtless the
movement will receive a large impulse from
his presence there. An illustrated article in
Chautauqua was published In Nor the Cen
tury magazine Of Russia-and the Chautau-
quan idea Is surmounting all obstacles Of
language, government restrictions, &C.,
among those far of peoples.
THE MAINE cHAUTAUQANs.
1t is hard Is obtain statistics Of the num-
Der of circles and readers In Maine today
owing to the new circles which are being
constantly formed The number has been
overestimated by enthusiasts, but the move
ment Is gaining rapidly here In Maine there
are about 5000 who are taking out books, and
about 1000 regular members. In Portland
there are the Munjoy, Vincent Hurlbnrt.
Longfellow, Willis, Island, and also one at
Cape Elizabeth, perhaps 300 In all and
constantly increasing. Recently a circle
was formed In Freeport. Not a week
goes by but circle Is formed somewhere